Aleatha Ezra, WWA

Last October, the World Waterpark Association welcomed customer experience expert David Avrin as a keynote speaker during its 38th Annual Symposium and Trade Show.

During his address, Avrin said that customers expect immediate answers, 24/7 access to information, expedited delivery and buying with one-click. If you can’t give it to them, they will likely find others who will.

He also detailed several reasons that you unintentionally drive customers away and reminded listeners that policies and processes are not created to make life easy for your team, but to make the experience great for your customers. If a leisure venue can master the following three elements that typify this new age of expectation, they can gain a meaningful competitive advantage in the marketplace:

• Immediacy – Allow customers to reach a real person, get instant information on product or service offerings and hear quick answers. They don’t want to fill out a contact form.

• Individuality – Provide customers with the flexibility to create experiences, products or packages the way they want them – not just how we want to sell them.

• Humanity – Treat people with human dignity. Understand that one-size does not fit-all.